Protective trays and other devices for holding splices between optic fibers are already well known in the art. Generally, the splices form joints between optic fibers utilizing fusing and/or bonding in combination with precision-machined alignment structure. Such splicing techniques often minimized the protective measures deemed necessary for the splice holding device to maintain the integrity of the fiber splices in any contemplated installational environment.
A known splicing technique which does not involve precision-machined fiber alignment structure, is utilized in a rotary mechanical splice suitable for connecting single-mode and multi-mode fibers. The optical losses associated with such rotary splices is nevertheless minimized because of its rotatably adjusted fiber alignment capability, making it however susceptible to misalignment disturbances under harsh shock producing environments.
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a novel protective enclosure device for rotary splices between optic fibers that is sufficiently shock resistant in order to avoid high optical fiber loss due to splice misalignment under harsh environmental conditions, without reliance on high cost alignment structure.